What Is Godly Sorrow and What Does It Have To Do with the Days of Unleavened Bread?

Brethren, we live in a very deeply troubled world. That is not a news flash to anybody in this room. Troubled on every level, emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually. But so far as that goes, that's enough of the bad news for today. We get enough bad news, don't we? Most of us have a hard time forcing ourselves to watch the news. Thanks be to God that we've got God's holy days. God's holy days that empower us. God's holy days that give solutions to the troubles of this world. Thanks be to God that God has shared with his church the good news, the good news that we have the commission to proclaim. The good news that the true God is a plan of salvation. A plan that gives life, real life, abundant life. Thank God that we have a commission to proclaim the news that mankind's destiny, mankind's potential, goes far beyond mankind's dreams. Thanks be to God that the true God is a loving and a compassionate God, a God of grace and a God of mercy. God and his grace and mercy toward us has opened up our hearts and our minds to know his plan. And today we're going to take a look at a part of that plan, a vital part of that plan. Today we are here, as we all are appreciated and know, on the first day of Unleavened Bread. We can rejoice in the knowledge that each of God's holy days is unique. Each of God's holy days have deep spiritual insights vital to our well-being. And God gives us a number of tools so we can appreciate his plan. We can appreciate what he has for us in his word. I'm not going to turn there, but in 2 Timothy chapter 1 and verse 7 we read, For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. That's a spiritual tool God gives us to comfort us and to strengthen us. Again, I'm not going to turn to this next scripture, Jeremiah 29 and verse 11. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and to give you a hope. So we have knowledge of God's plan to encourage us. Brother, this afternoon we're going to examine one spiritual dynamic of these days of Unleavened Bread. A spiritual dynamic that's essential to our spiritual understanding, essential to our spiritual well-being in this very troubled society. Today we're going to study the spiritual dynamic of godly sorrow. Godly sorrow. My theme is in the form of a question, what is godly sorrow and what does godly sorrow have to do with these days of Unleavened Bread? What is godly sorrow and what does godly sorrow have to do with these days of Unleavened Bread? But let's begin by getting our spiritual bearings. Let's turn to Leviticus chapter 23.

A beautiful chapter outlining the Holy Day plan of God. Leviticus chapter 23.

Starting here in verse 6. And on the fifteenth day of the same month as the feast of Unleavened Bread to the Lord, to the Lord. Seven days you must eat Unleavened Bread. On the first day you shall have a holy convocation, a commanded assembly, a summons by the great God. You shall do no customary work on it, but you shall offer an offering made by fire to the Lord for seven days. The seventh day shall be a holy convocation, another commanded assembly, another summons by God, that you shall do no customary work on it. Notice two very salient points here.

This Holy Day, all of God's Holy Days, are to the Lord. They're not to a certain people, they're to God. And we are here to worship God and to honor God by keeping this time of the year. This is a command of God. We're hearing an awful lot last year about mankind's directives. We've got a directive for mass, we've got a directive for this, for that, and the other. But this is a command from God. This is not a directive of men.

And also notice a very unique feature of the Days of Unleavened Bread. We've got two holy days, the first day and the last day. Now some might say, well, you know, we've got two holy days at the feast time. Well, yes and no. There are two holy days, but they are two separate and distinct days. One is for the feast, one is for the last great day. Two distinct meanings of those holy days. But this particular holy day season, we've got two holy convocations that deal with the Days of Unleavened Bread. God is telling us something as we think about that.

You know, the Passover pictures God forgiving us of our sins through Christ's sacrifice. Then what? What do we do then? How do we live our new life in Christ? Well, we have two holy days, plus the days intervening, that give us tremendous understanding as to how God wants us to live. These Days of Unleavened Bread picture us getting sin out of our life.

But more than that, if all we do is get sin out, that's not enough. We have to bring in the righteousness of God, and God helps us with that. God encourages us. God inspires. He teaches us. He grants us the information we need so that we can work with that information. So these days of Unleavened Bread picture a way of life that will lead to the kind of existence that God has always wanted for His creation. Again, John 10, 10, something I read almost to you every Sabbath. I have come that they might have life and they might have it more abundantly.

God wants us to have life and more abundant life. And that is as we keep these days of Unleavened Bread and realize the kind of life God wants us to be living. Now we see here in Leviticus 23 the Holy Day plan of God unveiled, but let's now turn to 1 Corinthians 5 and see the New Covenant instruction for us here.

1 Corinthians 5. There are those who think that the Bible is at war with itself, that somehow God is at war with Jesus Christ. Nothing can be further from the truth. What we're going to read here from the teachings of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 5 reinforces what we just read in Leviticus 23. 1 Corinthians 5 and 6. Your glory is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? There is danger in leaven, and a little bit of it can be very, very destructive. Therefore, purge out the old leaven. Get rid of that, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened.

For indeed, Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us. Because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we are a new lump. We are a new creation. I'm not going to turn here, but in your notes you might want to jot down 2 Corinthians 5 and 17. We are a new creation in Jesus Christ. We are unleavened because our sins have been forgiven us.

What a beautiful teaching! Why would anybody want to do away with teachings as beautiful as this, and as meaningful and as meaty as this? So we've got the Old Testament command in Leviticus. We've got the New Testament command in 1 Corinthians 5. For the New Covenant Christian removing leaven from our homes for seven days reminds us of what one of our great tasks is, and that is to go away from the Egypt of this world and be heading toward the kingdom of God.

We must recognize, expel, and avoid sin. We must bring in the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Let's turn over to Hebrews 12. Hebrews 12.

Hebrews 12 and verse 1. Therefore, we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us. Let's lay it aside. Let's de-leaven through the power of God, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Let us run with endurance. Again, this is a marathon, as was said a moment ago. The race that is set before us in Jesus Christ and a way in which we get rid of leavening. We have examined ourselves prior to these days of unleavened bread. 1 Corinthians 11 talks about that. 2 Corinthians 13 talks about that. But let's now take a look as we begin to narrow down what I wanted to get at today in the message. Let's go over to 2 Corinthians 7.

2 Corinthians 7.

There is a tremendous principle here that we want to understand during these days of unleavened bread and all through our Christian experience. 2 Corinthians 7, verse 10. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation. Not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. 3 Corinthians 10. So here we see a contrast, godly sorrow producing repentance leading to salvation and the sorrow of the world which produces death. We want the gold standard. We want the godly sorrow. We don't want fools' gold. We don't want the sorrow of the world. You know, there's a brief example you can think about regarding godly sorrow just by way of contrast and worldly sorrow. You've got what happened with Judas' karyat and Peter at the time of the very first Passover. Both men had done things that they were sorry for. Both handled the events surrounding Jesus' death in a wrong way. Judas brazenly betrayed Jesus Christ with a kiss. Peter denied knowing Jesus three times, three different times. Both were overcome with their griefs over their various actions. But there it was a tremendous difference as we move forward between those two men. Peter, yes, was distraught. But he also came to a godly sorrow. He came to a true repentance. He came to dedicate his life to the great God. And his life's work was to serve the great God and his fellow man. Judas, by contrast, let remorse eat at him and eat at him and eat at him. Eventually, overcome by his guilt, he committed suicide. As the Bible says, the sorrow of the world produces death. We don't want the same kind of sorrow that Judas' karyat had. We want the right kind of godly sorrow. So, in the rest of the message today, we want to take a look at the dynamics. What does it mean to have godly sorrow? Let's understand those dynamics. I've got four points for you. Point number one.

First dynamic is that God calls us. God calls us. That's a spiritual dynamic. We don't call ourselves. God must call us. Last evening, I don't know what conversations you had at the dinner table. I know at our home, the group we had, we went around the table. We talked about how each of us came into the church, how we came to be baptized. It was really a very fruitful discussion, seeing the way God had worked in different ways. You know, some of us at the table came in from outside. Other of us at the table were born into the faith. But it was interesting just listening to how God worked his miracles in all of our lives as he called us. Now, what does this have to do with the days of Unleavened Bread? Well, God has called us to a life of being unleavened. God has called us to a life of being unleavened. Let's take a look at something that we read so often and know by heart, but it's good for us to go back and read this. Let's go over to John 6. Refresh our mind with the beauty of the Word of God here. John 6.

Brethren, repentance and the calling of God is miraculous. It is miraculous. It is something we can't bring upon ourselves. God has got to flip a switch in our mind. I don't care whether you come from the outside or you're third or fourth or five generations into the church. There came a point in your life when you had to make decisions. Is this your church or just grandpa's church? John 6. No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I'll raise him up at the last day. So, miraculous things have happened. Again, whether you were born into it or you came from the outside, God has worked with you. You made a decision. Verse 45. It is written in the prophets, and they shall all be taught by God. Therefore, everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me. A tremendous teaching, brethren, it takes place. Yes, God opens the gateway to our mind to accept Him, to accept His information. And then He begins to teach us spiritual principles that can come from no other source. Spiritual principles, spiritual dynamics that help us live an unleavened life. And He gives us tremendous tools that help us in that regard. Let's go to 1 Corinthians 2. 1 Corinthians 2. 1 Corinthians 2.9-10 But as it is written, I has not seen, nor ear heard, nor has entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. The carnal mind, the carnal man, simply doesn't get it. Their minds have not been opened. They have not been called. But, verse 10, but God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. Miraculously, for the Spirit searches all things. Yes, the deep things of God. The deep things. Things that the world's philosophers have talked about and thought about and pondered and made all sorts of pronouncements and yet even at least educated among us. As God has opened up our hearts and minds and has given us His Spirit, we can understand the deep things of God. The very deepest things through God's Holy Spirit. We go over now to Hebrews 4. Hebrews 4, verse 12. Again, familiar Scriptures. Another tool that God gives us. He gives us His Holy Spirit, but He gives us something else. He gives us His Word. Hebrews 4, 12. For the Word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit and of joints and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. It discerns what is leavened. It can discern what is unleavened, and it helps us to discern what we need to be doing. God calls us as the first dynamic we have of understanding godly sorrow. God has called us with a very special calling. A second dynamic that we have, spiritual dynamic of godly sorrow, once God calls us, then dynamic number two is that God convicts us. God convicts us of our sins and our being a sinner. He convicts us of what we are and what we do. How does that relate to these days of unleavened bread? Well, God convicts us so that we live an unleavened life. God convicts us so we live an unleavened life. Let's go to John 16. John 16, verse 8.

Actually, let's start in John 16, verse 7. Nevertheless, I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away. For if I do not go away, they help or will not come to you. But if I depart, I will send him to you. And when he has come, when God has given us that Holy Spirit, he will convict us, he will convict the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgment. Again, the miraculous working of God in our life. Before you and I can repent, God must convict us that there's something to be repenting of, helping us to realize how far away we are from God's ways, helping us to recognize the sin within us and comprehend our deep-rooted hostility toward God. We must realize that not only do we sin, but that we are sinners. Once again, we look back to the Old Testament. We look at those five major offerings in the Old Testament. There was a sin offering that dealt with the individual. There was a trespass offering that dealt with specific sins. We need to be convicted of who we are and what we've done. If we're not convicted, we're not going to change. We're not going to delive in our lives. We won't have godly sorrow. Let's go to 1 John 1. 1 John 1, verses 9 and 10.

1 John 1, verses 9. If we confess our sins, and we would do that because we've been convicted of them, if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us. So, yes, we must confess. We must be convicted of going the wrong way and how we need to have a course correction and amend our lives to be unleavened. So that second spiritual dynamic is God convicting us of our sins and our being a sinner. Dynamic number three of the four. Spiritual dynamic number three in godly sorrow. God grants us repentance. God grants us repentance. What does that have to do with the days of unleavened bread? God grants us repentance to live an unleavened life. He's got to grant us that. That doesn't come naturally. Human beings are not going to go God's way naturally. God has got to help us with that through His grace. Let's go to 2 Timothy chapter 2. 2 Timothy chapter 2.

Starting here in verse 24. 2 Timothy 2, 24. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, able to teach and patient. And how are these servants of the Lord, what are they, what are one of the great tasks that have been given to them? There's 25 and 26. In humility, as a teacher, correcting those who are in opposition, opposition to what's in their best interest. They are in opposition to God's way of living. And if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so they may know the truth. And this truth is not just the truth of the Bible. It would include that. But it's also the truth of who we are, what we are, what we do, how we fall short of the glory of God. So we may know the truth and that they may come to their senses. Because when we're in a grip of Satan, we are not in our proper spiritual senses. And escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will. That's a tremendous dynamic. God has to grant us repentance. In addition to God giving us the will to do it, the desire to repent, God has to give us even that desire. Philippians 2, verse 13. I'm going to read this from a New Living Translation. Philippians 2, 13.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him. God is working you, giving you the desire and the power. These are things God must give us if we are going to be people who are repenting and being de-leavened. Lastly, dynamic number four. We must bear fruits worthy of repentance. We must bear fruits worthy of repentance. If we've got godly sorrow, fruit must come from godly sorrow. What does that have to do with these days of unleavened bread? God desires we bear fruits of an unleavened life. As you and I increase our understanding of what God's righteousness is, we grow in our comprehension of our sin against him. We grow in our comprehension of our own sinful nature and our need for God's Holy Spirit to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Godly sorrow is an intense sense of sadness over sins we've committed. It is the moment of coming to grips with our sin, but also that we want to change. Judas was sorry for what he had done, but he didn't effect a change in his life. You and I can be very sorry about things. But if we don't change to be more like God and Jesus Christ, then all we've got is worldly sorrow. If we want godly sorrow, fruit must be born. Let's take a look at Psalm 51 that talks about repentance. Psalm 51.

We know again, we know these verses so well.

Psalm 51 verse 4.

Psalm 51 verse 4. David here speaking, Against you and you only have I sinned and done this evil in your sight, that you may be found just when you speak and blameless when you judge. There is a thought here, an important thought. Godly sorrow is directed toward God. Godly sorrow is directed toward God. It leads to a commitment to make change. Because we love God, we understand God, we want to be like God, we're God's kids. You know, you see in Romans chapter 7, I'm not going to turn over there, but in Romans chapter 7, we read how the Apostle Paul felt deep sorrow over the sins he was committing and the sins of omission, the things he should have been doing and wasn't doing. Here in Psalm 51, we read of David's heartfelt prayer of sorrow and repentance. Job, in Job 42 verse 4, when he came to better understand the greatness of God and where he stood in light of who God was, came to say, therefore I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. Those are the thoughts we need to have if we want to have godly sorrow. During these days of unleavened bread, when we were wanting to get rid of the sin in our lives and bring in the righteousness of God. Now, that brings us to a scripture that I've quoted here before and done some explaining before, but let's turn again to 2 Corinthians chapter 7. We're talking about fruits of repentance, which you might think or I might think is true. You know, what does God say? What we think is not important. What we think is not important. What does God say? How does God define godly sorrow? Well, we have an explanation right here in scripture. We've already read verse 10, but let's read it again. 2 Corinthians chapter 7 verse 10. For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted, but the sorrow of the world produces death. But now notice in verse 11, a spiritual life of the world is a spiritual life. Verse 11, a spiritual checklist. Here's how we know if we've got the real gold and not the fool's gold. Here's how we know if we've got the real true godly sorrow. There are seven different fruits here. For observe this very thing that you sorrowed in a godly manner. And now you've got seven different fruits that are listed here. And you know, brethren, as you and I go through life, not just when we came into the church and were first baptized, but as you and I go through life, repentance is a way of life for us as Christians. And many people ask themselves, well, how do I know if I'm converted? How do I know if I'm really with the program? Well, God helps us to understand. God gives us some metrics here. Let's take a look at these metrics. For observe this very thing that you sorrowed in a godly manner. What diligence it produced in you. What clearing of yourselves. What indignation. What fear. What vehement desire. What zeal. What vindication. And all these things you've proved yourselves to be clear in this matter. Notice that last sentence. If you see those seven fruits, then that last sentence says, in all these things you've proved yourselves that you've got godly sorrow. How much of those fruits do you see in your life? Think about something you're trying to overcome. Take a look at these seven fruits, and where do you fall on the continuum from zero to 100? Let's take a few moments and look at these seven fruits. Number one. What diligence it wrought on you. Let's go over to Deuteronomy 4.

Isn't it beautiful we can go to Old Testament, New Testament, and see the beauty of the truth of God?

There's some tremendous golden nuggets here. Deuteronomy 4. Starting here in verse 5 and going through verse 9.

Deuteronomy 4 verse 5. Surely I've taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me. They came from God. They're beautiful. They're spiritual. They're powerful. That you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore, be careful. Be diligent to observe them. For this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what great nation is there that has God so near to it as the Lord God is to us? For whatever reason we may call upon Him. And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as in all this law which I said before you this day? And brethren, we are kind of spoiled. We come to services week after week. We hear sermonettes and sermons. We hear Bible studies detailing the truth of God. We are such a blessed people on the face of this earth. Verse 9, Only take heed to yourself and diligently keep yourself, lest you forgive the things which your eyes have seen, lest they depart from your heart all the days of your life, and teach them to your children and your grandchildren. Be diligent. I don't care how you came into the church, whether you were fifth generation or you came in on your own. You remember when you made that commitment of your own heart and mind that this was your church, or you were leaving your false church to come to God's true church? You were diligent. Diligence was a key word in your life. You were on the lookout for any and all ways that were contrary to the teachings of God. You were doing your very best to try as hard as you possibly could to walk in the light, to be diligent. What would Jesus have us do? What would God have us do? How should I be thinking? So, number one is diligence. Godly sorrow includes diligence. Number two, a clearing of yourself. A clearing of yourself. Let's go over to Ephesians 4. Ephesians 4 and in verse 27.

Ephesians 4, 27. Very simply, it says, nor give place to the devil. Nor give place to the devil. A truly repentant, converted Christian will demonstrate how serious they are by showing their disapproval of the sin, which they've been guilty of, by doing everything in our power to get rid of it. We want a clear standing before God. Jesus Christ came and He wiped away the sin. We were given a clean slate. The phrase, clearing of themselves, means working hard toward having a good reputation. It means to seek a good reputation, to seek a good name. And the way to do that is to diligently follow the path that God shows us to follow. Number three, what indignation? Indignation. Let's look at Romans 12 in verse 9.

Romans 12 in verse 9. Romans 12, 9. Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. Well, that's a very brief statement of the Days of Unleavened Bread, isn't it? Abhor what is evil. The leavening. And cling to what is good. The unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. The truly repentant, converted Christian will have an absolute hatred of sin. Why do we need this indignation? Well, if we don't have it, we're not going to leave sin. If we're comfortable, if we're cozy with sin, we're not going to get rid of it. We have to hate it, detest it, loathe it, abhor it, as it says here in verse 9. We do that, then we've got the right kind of frame of mind. Number four. Fear. Let's go to a couple of Proverbs. First one is in Proverbs chapter 8.

Proverbs chapter 8 and verse 13.

Proverbs 8, 13, That's the fear of the Lord is to hate evil, to hate the leaven in our lives. That's the fear of the Lord is to hate evil, pride and arrogance in the evil way and the perverse mouth, I hate. The truly repentant, converted Christian fears God, not a shaking in our boots, but understanding the beauty of what God is, who God is in awe and respect for who God is. And realizing we don't want to do anything that puts us at odds with the great God or takes us away from that great God, our Father or our elder brother, Jesus Christ. We want to respect God. We want to respect God's law, God's laws for our lives. We want to do what it says here, to hate evil. Proverbs chapter 16. Proverbs chapter 16. Proverbs 16. In verse 6. Proverbs 16. 6. In mercy and truth, the tomen is provided for iniquity. And by the fear of the Lord, one departs from evil. By the fear of the Lord, one departs from evil. Number five. Kind of going back to what we heard today in a very interesting sermonette. I appreciate Mr. Willis changing his notes at the last moment and giving a very fine message for us. He was a great example of zeal today. Thea meant desire. Thea meant desire. Let's go to John chapter 6. John chapter 6. Starting in verse 31. Read this on Passover evening. John chapter 6 verse 31. Our fathers ate manna in the desert, as it was written, he gave them bread from heaven to eat. Then Jesus said to the most assuredly I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world. Then he said to him, Lord, give us this bread always. They were zealous. They wanted it at all times. They didn't want to have any lack of it. They wanted to have an abundance of it. Lord, give us this bread always. They were zealous. And Jesus said to them, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger in his blood. He who comes to me shall never thirst. Tremendous, vehement desire. The truly repentant, converted Christian has a tremendous desire to change, to go God's way. It's a part of their heart. It's a part of their mind. It's everything to them. We must vehemently desire to change, to be more like God on a daily basis. Let's also turn over to Matthew 5. Along these same lines. Matthew 5 and verse 6. Matthew 5 and verse 6.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled. To hunger. The Greek means to crave, ardently. To seek with eager desire. To long for. Yes, to have that vehement desire. That's what we hunger for. The Greek word for thirst means to desire passionately. So here in Matthew 5 and 6, a beautiful attitude. We see the attitude of a vehement desire. To crave. To seek with eager desire. To long for. To desire passionately. Does this describe you as you see the sins, or me as I see the sins in my life or your life? Do we have this hungering and thirsting, this desire to delive in? Number six. We see in that one verse there in 2 Corinthians, chapter 7. Zeal. Zeal. Let's take a look at Revelation, chapter 3. I think we might have gone through this in the sermon. Revelation, chapter 3.

Revelation, chapter 3, verse 17. Because you say, I am rich and become wealthy and of need of nothing, and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. Well, we don't want this set of us, and yet this is being set of some in God's church. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined into fire. Real gold, not fool's gold, that you may be rich, spiritually speaking, and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed, and anoint your eyes with eyesab that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten, therefore be zealous and repent. Be zealous and repent. The truly repentant, converted Christian is full of zeal for God and God's way. And lastly, number seven, fruits of godly sorrow. In a new King James, it says vindication. In the authorized version, the King James, it says revenge. I prefer the word revenge. I think that more appropriately shows what is meant there. A revenge. A truly repentant, converted Christian takes godly revenge. What's godly revenge? Turning our back on Satan. Turning our back on Satan's ways. We repent. We turn 180 degrees and go a totally different direction. We move toward God. We move away from Satan. You know, one of the best... When I'm counseling people for baptism, one of the best definitions of repentance is found over here in the book of Joel. Let's go over there.

We've got Hosea and Joel. Joel chapter 2. Tremendous definition of repentance.

Joel chapter 2 verses 12 and 13. Now therefore says the Lord, turn to me with all your heart. Not a part of your heart. All your heart. You know, I would say this, brethren. Over the years, I've not counted how many people I've baptized. But I would say this. People who've been attending for a while, they will know how to answer the questions that I would put to them, that any minister would put to them. In some cases, I thought, boy, this person really is with it. In other cases, I've really had my doubts. Sometimes I've shared my doubts with that individual. But that's between them and God. God knows His own. But a person who is wholehearted, turn to me with your whole heart. Not just because you want to be baptized to join a group. If I found that to be the case, I've told people, well, we need to put the brakes on here, and we're not just trying to join a group here. Turn to me with all your heart. With fasting. There's action involved. With weeping and with mourning. There's something about the heart here. With weeping and mourning. Your mind, your heart. You're into it. You're fully into it. You're not just trying to join something to be a part of a group. Now, if you're truly repentant, yes, you will be a part of the body of Christ. But we don't just join because everyone else has been baptized. We don't just join because, well, it's my time. After all these years in a church, I need to be baptized. No, it's got to be a part of the heart here. So, rend your heart and not your garments. It's got to be of the heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God. Again, there's action here. Return, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness. And he relents from doing the harm. Brethren, repentance, delavening is a way of thinking. Delavening is a way of living. Today, we've taken a look at four dynamics of godly sorrow. We've taken a look at a checklist just the last few minutes in 2 Corinthians 7 and verse 11. And Paul says, after going all through those seven, he says, In all things you've proved yourself clear in this matter. So, let's each and every one of us look at that verse, 2 Corinthians 7-11. Let's look at that as we think about ourselves in the future, as we continue on our lifelong self-examination. Let's ask ourselves, are we clear in this matter? Is there evidence that you and I have godly sorrow? Is there the things we've talked about here? Number one, god calling us. Number two, god convicting us. Number three, god granting us repentance. And number four, our bearing fruits worthy of repentance. Brethren, god has given us a tremendous privilege of being in his church. 56 of us were here on Friday evening to observe the Lord's Passover. The slate has been wiped clean. These days of unleavened bread picture a time for us, at all times for us, to walk away from sin and to bring in the righteousness of God. And to properly do that, we have to have godly sorrow.